And by "drugs" I mean the realization that the moment itself, the entire thing, the whole apparatus, the very carbon altered air we breathe is one massive, hallucinatory anti-party. It looks like ordinary life: lawns and giggling kids and bats and nuclear missile silos and sexy lasses. But the real is slipping away, "like tears lost in rain".
My friend, my colleague, my old mentor -- a sweet, super-sized, Santa Claus-y kind of guy who carries an automatic pistol everywhere, "just in case" (and I've got to be fair to my gun carrying bro...there was indeed one moment on the road when that damn piece probably saved our asses) turned to me and said "A.) BMWs should be clean. We can't greet the angels with a dirty ride. Let's get this over-priced bitch to a car wash. And B.) Obama is a socialist man! He's taking America away from its core ideals...he's taking us away from FREE ENTERPRISE and towards some bull Soviet style shit!"
My reply was subtle and as gentle as a baby's kiss: "Are you a fucking tea partier. Is that your thing now?! Jesus, get a grip. The insurance companies -- the fucking capitalist insurance companies mind you -- love the 'reform' bill. They love it the way a rat loves granola wrapped in peanut butter. Their love should tell you that your TP shouts about 'socialism' are wrong, off, and just wrong."
So the argument began, like several other before with other friends, frenemies, associates and Facebookists -- liberals too excited, conservatives too mad.
He retorted. Nonsense talking points taken from right-wing blogs. It wasn't long before the birth certificate question made its triumphal reappearance.
But this time, my mind drifted from the conversation, I had an out-of-body experience or some synaptic equivalent. My god, I thought, there are layers within layers.
The illusion of 'reform' clashes with the illusion of 'government takeover' and Armageddon for freedom. Two kingdoms are at war in a vaporous world of contending dreams.
Meanwhile, on Earth....
.d.